Simple Truths will correct the human beliefs
by Michael Aleph
　　　　Do Not Judge

Matthew 7:1-5 International Standard Version (ISV)

“Stop judging, so that you won’t be judged, 2 because the way that you judge others will be the way that you will be judged, and you will be evaluated by the standard with which you evaluate others.
3 “Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye but fail to notice the beam in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when the beam is in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you will see clearly enough to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”

Depending on the translation, beam (a generic name of cross-bars passed over columns) may be log or plank or rafter. Speck in the eye means something very small like dust.

Even today, the tendency "without recognizing one's faults but speaking ill of other person's" is generally seen. To avoid such a bias is necessary, but it has not changed much since 2000 years ago.

This example is easy to understand, but because it uses the eye, a part of the body, it is an inappropriate expression, because it is impossible in reality.

Is it possible for a beam, or a log, or a rafter stay in the eye? Can you imagine such a big thing in the eye? It becomes a manga if imagined. It doesn't make sense.

What Jesus wanted to say is, "One’s fault is significant as a log but not visible. So people do not recognize one’s mistake while complaining and criticizing other's failure, which is much smaller. Improve your fault first. Then you will know how to improve others.."

You may know what happens if you have small dust in your eye if you have the experience. It's painful, uncomfortable, and you can't keep normal feeling. You will get rid of it right away. Alternatively you will ask someone else check it immediately. Or you will go to the doctor. If someone gets a speck of dust or rubbish in the eye, it hurts so much, and the person immediately asks for help.

Even when you get dust in your eye, it hurts, and cannot endure it. Here it is not dust but a log. You may not survive.

In other words, it is not possible in reality. It is inappropriate to say to have a log in one's eye and small dust in other's eye. Even if Jesus tried to say about human fault or sin, the example of using the eye is inappropriate. Understandably, Jesus showed human tendency about mistakes, but it is not a good example today.

Next, Jesus mentioned a reason why people should avoid judging. The reason is not to be judged by others. Do you agree to the reason? It was all right 2000 years ago, but not today. Besides, it is not because for being judged by God, either.

The reason why you should not judge other people is to judge a human being by a human being is wrong.

There are two main problems with judgment (deciding people be).

1. Humans cannot make a perfect judgment without mistakes. You cannot know 100% of others. Even you do not know enough about yourself.

2. People are constantly changing. People reflect, improve, and progress. People are never in the same condition or state. Of course, it is conceivable that the situation may be getting worse.

No one knows enough about others. Even if you think you know enough about someone, it doesn't mean you know enough. It is necessary to understand that people are continually changing. It is a mistake to think that a person does not change. Denying people’s potential for change leads to judging others.

In the case of violation of a rule, one must take responsibility by the established rule of promises. It is the rule that judges people.